Travelled in First Class on a Standard Class ticket

[All Line Rover]

Do Virgin state anywhere that for the pruposes of the upgrade a season is treated as an Anytime? Honest question, I have no idea since I am in the wrong area for Virgin Trains so don't take much notice of their offers/T&C's!

No, it does not.
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I do not know whether the concession applies to seasons or not.

No, it does not.

 

[Greenback]

The Anytime ticket will have a price associated with it, which will not be the price paid for the Season Ticket.

The Anytime ticket will also have specific validity period which is different to a Season Ticket.

I was wondering whether the OP could provide some evidence to support their argument. It appears they cannot, apart from their own assertion that it should be allowed.

It seems they decided for themselves that they would be entitled to a free upgrade because they have a season.
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No, it does not.
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No, it does not.

I presumed not, but as I mentioned, I wondered whether the OP had seen anything to support their position!

 

[ainsworth74]

Are you suggesting that you believe you were entitled to a free upgrade to First Class ??

On weekends holders of Anytime tickets (SOS/SOR) are entitled to a free upgrade to first class on Virgin services. See here under the Virgin Trains tab.

 

[All Line Rover]

I was wondering whether the OP could provide some evidence to support their argument. It appears they cannot, apart from their own assertion that it should be allowed.

It seems they decided for themselves that they would be entitled to a free upgrade because they have a season.

The Manual doesn't say Season tickets qualify for a free upgrade, and after spending months researching this offer (and having found every single reference to this offer that I can possibly think of!), I've never seen Season tickets mentioned.

It is a fact that Season tickets do not qualify for the offer, and it seems that the OP has simply drawn his own interpretation. I am not very impressed by that interpretation - especially as the word "Anytime" has a capital "A," indicating that the offer applies to a specific ticket type, rather than tickets that are valid at "any-time."
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On weekends holders of Anytime tickets (SOS/SOR) are entitled to a free upgrade to first class on Virgin services.

Good old Virgin. Much better than XC.

 

[Greenback]

It is a fact that Season tickets do not qualify for the offer, and it seems that the OP has simply drawn his own interpretation. I am not very impressed by that interpretation - especially as the word "Anytime" has a capital "A," indicating that the offer applies to a specific ticket type, rather than tickets that are valid at "any-time."

I believe there are probably not many people who will have researched Virgin's offers as thoroughly as your good self! I have little interest myself, as I get very few opportunities to travel on Virgin. However, I am glad to see that my assumptions were correct!

 

[Paul Kelly]

Certainly this means I could have sat in first class with my ticket to Belfast via Stranraer though which is annoying to find out now as the return is and SOR.

I tried to do that with such a ticket, on a Birmingham to Glasgow service once in mid-2010 and the train manager wouldn't let me and said I would have to pay £15 if I wanted to sit in first class (I approached him on boarding the train rather than sitting and waiting).

 

[Old Timer]

On weekends holders of Anytime tickets (SOS/SOR) are entitled to a free upgrade to first class on Virgin services. See here under the Virgin Trains tab.

Thanks for that. I looked at the Virgin Website where one would expect to find this information, but it is not mentioned anywhere at all. Only the £15 supplement is mentioned.

 

[ainsworth74]

Good old Virgin. Much better than XC.

Not exactly that hard though is it

I feel I should point out that I have no complaints with XC's staff just other elements of the operation

 

[All Line Rover]

Thanks for that. I looked at the Virgin Website where one would expect to find this information, but it is not mentioned anywhere at all. Only the £15 supplement is mentioned.

It is mentioned: here. However the information is well hidden, and heavily out of date. The offer no longer applies to "Standard Open" tickets but "Anytime" (SOS/SOR) tickets!

However, this reference does make it even clearer that the offer does not, and never has, applied to Season tickets.

 

[Old Timer]

It is mentioned: here. .

Ahhh these new fangled computer things...!

No good for us dinosaurs you know !

 

[bkhtele]

I tried to do that with such a ticket, on a Birmingham to Glasgow service once in mid-2010 and the train manager wouldn't let me and said I would have to pay £15 if I wanted to sit in first class (I approached him on boarding the train rather than sitting and waiting).

This is how the National rail site describes the rail sail ticket via Cairnryan "Anytime":: fully flexible tickets with no time restrictions on when you can travel. Perfect for people who need flexibility.
Surely you should have been allowed a free upgrade. This is not the same as the ticket via Holyhead that All line rover refers to.

 

[shotayo]

I am a bit surprised by some of the ascertain made in previous posts, as the customer relation department and retail staff seems to have a different understand. I have in the past (3 months ago) been refund the amount I was charged.

 

[Yew]

My advice would be to pay the upfn, then write to the appeals people, and explain the confusion Anytime ticket vs tickets that are valid any-time. And you MIGHT get a bit of a refund. (I wouldn't get my hopes up though)

 

[All Line Rover]

I am a bit surprised by some of the ascertain made in previous posts, as the customer relation department and retail staff seems to have a different understand. I have in the past (3 months ago) been refund the amount I was charged.

Could you please expand on the circumstances that led up to the refund, and the type of ticket you were using?

 

[shotayo]

ALR

I was holding a 7 day season ticket Birmingham International to Milton Keynes,
was charged and paid £46.50 for traveling on a Saturday in First Class.

I received a cheque for this payment

 

[Anvil1984]

Well sorry but your lucky that the retail department did so but NOWHERE does it state that season ticket holders get free first class upgrades on a weekend using Virgin Trains using any published evidence I dont know what you were expecting to do or say. "Oh well they dont advertise it but yes you should" perhaps

 

[Greenback]

ALR

I was holding a 7 day season ticket Birmingham International to Milton Keynes,
was charged and paid £46.50 for traveling on a Saturday in First Class.

I received a cheque for this payment

This may have been a discretionary refund. You may not be so lucky again!

In any case, if it has happened to you once before, and you managed to obtain a refund I'm afraid I am a bit confused as to why you started a thread asking for advice on what to do? Surely you would do exactly what you did last time?

 

[jon0844]

Yes, this doesn't make any sense.

If they refunded you, the letter either said it was a 'one off goodwill gesture' in which case you knew you couldn't do it - or it apologised and said it was fine, in which case you have a letter that you could keep a copy of and take with you!

How/why would this information have been left out from the initial post?!

 

[tony_mac]

they may also have refunded in full to apologise for charging a full fare instead of a weekend first upgrade.

 

[Anvil1984]

sorry misunderstood tony mac deleted to think it again
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Ok secomd attempt

The weekend first should be offered and only if it hasnt been then is the TM in the wrong.

If it has been offered the a UFN shouldnt be offered for a weekend first charge. Its either go back to standard or get a UFN for the full single fare

 

[John @ home]

Unfortunately, RailSail tickets aren't SOS/SOR tickets (they are a separate ticket type), so have never qualified for the free upgrade, and certainly don't qualify for it now with the recent changes!

This is incorrect. Until 1 January 2012, SailRail tickets via the Northern sea corridor were issued as SDS or SOR.

Leeds - Belfast NI
route Stranraer Stena
SDS £42.00
SOS £84.00

Note that only the return ticket was Anytime. The single was Anytime Day and did not qualify for the free Virgin offer.

 

[tony_mac]

The single was Anytime Day and did not qualify for the free Virgin offer.

I've said this before, but Virgin's Customer services have told me that Anytime Day tickets do qualify.

According to NRES, an Anytime Day ticket is a type of Anytime ticket.

In the absence of an explicit clarification, then I think a common-sense interpretation would be expected. And I think it takes a special sort of logic to say that an 'Anytime Day' is not an 'Anytime'. (The sort of logic found only in a few special places, like the railway industry and Ryanair).

 

[All Line Rover]

ALR

I was holding a 7 day season ticket Birmingham International to Milton Keynes,
was charged and paid £46.50 for traveling on a Saturday in First Class.

I received a cheque for this payment

Were you offered the weekend upgrade? If not, and were forced to pay the full First Class fare, that is the only reason I can think of for why they offered a full refund. Or maybe they were just feeling extra generous! But put simply, Virgin don't offer a free weekend upgrade for Season ticket holders. It would be nice if they did, as a "reward" for their Standard Class season ticket holders, but unfortunately they don't. There's nothing to stop you from suggesting it, however.
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This is incorrect. Until 1 January 2012, SailRail tickets via the Northern sea corridor were issued as SDS or SOR.Note that only the return ticket was Anytime. The single was Anytime Day and did not qualify for the free Virgin offer.

That's interesting, but this SailRail thing is extremely confusing! I don't think they are SOR tickets anymore with the recent changes. Oh well...
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I've said this before, but Virgin's Customer services have told me that Anytime Day tickets do qualify.

According to NRES, an Anytime Day ticket is a type of Anytime ticket.

In the absence of an explicit clarification, then I think a common-sense interpretation would be expected. And I think it takes a special sort of logic to say that an 'Anytime Day' is not an 'Anytime'. (The sort of logic found only in a few special places, like the railway industry and Ryanair).

Yes, your logic makes complete sense. But trying making most Train Managers agree with you! (Virgin's Customer Relations department are excellent - but their knowledge doesn't always trickle down to staff "on the ground.")

The original offer applied to "Standard Open" tickets and not "Standard Day" tickets. Virgin's logic is that "Standard Open" tickets became "Anytime," and "Standard Day" tickets became "Anytime Day," so the revised offer (since simplification) only applies to "Anytime" tickets and not "Anytime Day." ATOC disagree, and NRE's interpretion of Anytime tickets diagrees. Before "simplification" it was obvious that Standard Open (Anytime Day) tickets did not qualify for the offer. Now it is debatable.

 

[34D]

In the absence of an explicit clarification, then I think a common-sense interpretation would be expected. And I think it takes a special sort of logic to say that an 'Anytime Day' is not an 'Anytime'. (The sort of logic found only in a few special places, like the railway industry and Ryanair).

Quite, yes. Must say that the way I read the word 'anytime' would be that any ticket that is valid at "anytime" is eligible - so SOR SDR and season.

I suppose the difference is between "free upgrade for anytime ticket holders" and "free upgrade for Anytime ticket holders".